Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
This week’s top metal/hard rock debut comes from Michigan rock group Pop Evil, with their sophomore album coming in at #42 and selling 9,300 copies. Now many of you at this point might be asking yourselves “who are these guys and how the hell did they sell so many copies?!” Well, they got their first big break by opening up for Judas Priest in 2009 on the British Steel 30th Anniversary North American tour, and just got done touring with Papa Roach and Finger Eleven. As for how this album got into the top 50, well it probably helped that their song “Last Man Standing” was played by the NHL Network during this year’s Stanley Cup and during ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights. Pretty good promotion, wouldn’t you say?
Notable Debuts:
Pop Evil, War of Angels (eOne) #42, 9,300 sold
Their first week sales are also pretty impressive considering that this album was originally set to be released this past February, but was delayed for reasons beyond the band’s control.
Unearth, Darkness in the Light (Metal Blade) #71, 6,400 sold
The Masscore group’s fifth album (featuring Killswitch Engage’s Justin Foley on drums) sells considerably less then their last two albums. 2008’s The March sold 11,000 and ranked #45 in its first week, while 2006’s III: In the Eyes of Fire sold 22,000 copies and came in at #35 in its first week.
Exhumed, All Guts, No Glory (Relapse) 930 sold
The death metal group’s first album since going on a hiatus in 2005 has a solid first week.
Headcat, Walk The Walk Talk The Talk (Niji) 700 sold
The sophomore album from Lemmy’s rockabilly group has a decent first week, but numbers are more Stray Cats than Motorhead.
Hands, Give Me Rest (Facedown) 670 sold
This ambient prog group has a decent first week on the charts.
Notable Sales:
Foo Fighters, Wasting Light (RCA) #46, 8,470 sold
Dave Grohl might be a nice guy, but don’t let him catch you fighting at one of his shows.
Limp Bizkit, Gold Cobra (Interscope) #55, 7,580 sold
Fred Durst and co. get kicked out of the top 50 with a 72% decrease in their second week on the charts. While this is a massive drop in sales, it’s not that unusual for a band to experience such a large decrease into their second week nowadays. Plus, this shows that there’s still 7,500 or so Bizkit fans out there in addition to last week’s 27,000. However, it doesn’t give too much hope for Gold Cobra’s lasting power.
Kid Rock, Born Free (Atlantic) #59, 7,200 sold
Most likely thanks to Amazon selling the album for $6, Mr. Rock experiences a 15% increase and jumps up the charts by 29 spots. Wait, Kid Rock AND Limp Bizkit on the charts…is it 1999?
Seether, Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray (Wind-Up) #62, 6,930 sold
Despite a 14% decrease, Seether jump up the charts by 8 spots.
Def Leppard, Mirrorball (Mailboat) #97, 4,730 sold
Another 20% decrease for the 80’s rock group’s live release in its fifth week.
August Burns Red, Leveler (Solid State) #99, 4,650 sold
The metalcore group experiences another 42% decrease in their third week.
Hollywood Undead, American Tragedy (A&M/Octone) #113, 4,100 sold
Out of curiousity, which rap-metal group do you prefer: Hollywood Undead or Limp Bizkit?
Black Veil Brides, Set the World on Fire (Universal Republic) #119, 3,800 sold
We could tell that BVB are big admirers of Alice Cooper, but apparently he really digs them as well.
Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare (Warner Bros.) #124, 3,650 sold
A7X’s latest album has been on the charts now for 50 weeks now.
In Flames, Sounds of a Playground Fading (Century Media) #154, 2,970 sold
The Swedish metal group experience another 33% decrease in their third week.
Linkin Park, A Thousand Suns (Warner Bros.) #160, 3,000 sold
What are your thoughts on LP’s cover of Adele’s “Rolling In Deep”?
The Black Dahlia Murder, Ritual (Metal Blade) #197, 2,320 sold
The death metal group experiences another 37% decrease, falling down the charts by 60 spots
Queensryche, Dedicated to Chaos (Roadrunner/Loud & Proud) #200, 2,300 sold
Just barely made it into the top 200 as the Seattle prog metal legends experience a 72% decrease in their second week.
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) 1,130 sold
This album is still on sale over at Amazon for just $6. If you haven’t bought it yet…WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Burn Halo, Up from the Ashes (Rawkhead) 760 sold
A 67% decrease for the former Eighteen Visions singer James Hart’s other group.
Art Of Dying, Vices And Virtures (Reprise/Intoxication) 550 sold
The Canadian rockers have been on the charts now for 16 weeks.
Morbid Angel, Illud Divinum Insanus (Season of Mist) 540 sold
Morbid Angel is selling a special t-shirt on the road in an effort to raise money for drummer Pedro “Pete” Sandoval’s medical bills.
The Devin Townsend Project, Deconstruction (HevyDevy/Inside Out) 510 sold
Another 18% decrease for Hevy Devy’s heavier new album.
Woe, Is Me, Number[s] (Velocity/Rise) 430 sold
Another 5% increase shows that their stint on the Warped Tour is helping out sales.
